Can anyone ID these two snakes

[dazzathomas72]

I found these two snakes in the dunes near Ceduna in S.A
one of them is being eaten by a larger snake..

thanks

https://picasaweb.google.com/110567...key=Gv1sRgCJXj9-GjjIL3mgE#5579086469620066114

 

[westaussie]

dugites

they look like dugites ... P.affinis.
I havn't spent any time in that area . so just going by the pic

 

[dazzathomas72]

Think u might be right, i have never heard of dugites, but after some googling, i rekon the head is very simular, and the coloring is very random, and blotchy

 

[GeckoJosh]

I dont know but great pic!!!

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Westaussie is on the money - being Ceduna, they are almost certainly Dugites, especially the blotchy one. The non-blotchy one could possibly be a Western.

 

[-Peter]

You dont think the larger might be Pseudechis? i tried getting a larger image but the monitor here at work just pixilates it.

Oh!, theres more pictures there, I'll take that back then

 

[ecosnake]

The big one could be an awesome looking King Brown and the small one a dugite

 

[waruikazi]

The big one could be an awesome looking King Brown and the small one a dugite

I don't think there is much of a possibility of the larger being a mulga. I've seen other pics of browns from the same area with the same patterning. I agree with everyone saying browns but i couldn't say what species.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Dugites for sure... The large dark one is typically a south coast animal, and I think they may be the largest form of Dugite - I caught one years ago on the south coast of WA near Bremer Bay which was a whisker under 7 feet long, looked identical to that animal. Awesome animals, but it was probably the most mellow brown snake I've ever known! It's back end was sticking out of a V.rosenberg's burrow, so I grabbed and gently pulled... it kept coming... and coming... I couldn't keep its head off the ground it was so big!

J

 

[ecosnake]

I don't think there is much of a possibility of the larger being a mulga. I've seen other pics of browns from the same area with the same patterning. I agree with everyone saying browns but i couldn't say what species.

With that photo mate I reckon your on the money...nice one, that a hot looking snake!

 

[imported_Varanus]

Could another possibility be P. Inframacula, given it's location? Does anyone know which is the more common in the area (Inframacula or Affinis)??

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day Richard,

Dugite's are more common in that area. That "triangle" between Port Augusta, Ceduna and Port Lincoln is home to no less than 4 species of Pseudonaja, with a fifth (P.textilis) occuring slightly south-east of Port Augusta. It's a great area if you love Brown Snakes.

 

[imported_Varanus]

Thanks Jonno; another place for my "to do" list! It would be interesting to know how so many large, similar species interact/ compete with eachother, assuming they utilise similar microhabitats and diets.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day Richard,

Generally they aren't sympatric - even though they live in close proximity you generally only get one species in any one locality (apart from P.modesta and P.aspidoryncha which both occur in the red dunes).

Here's a Dugite From Smoky Bay, 40km down the road from where the above photo's were taken.